Awesome, thank you for sharing. Very interesting information. I just got my Blue Belt in Shotokan. I am very excited about my journey and training for my Black Belt. I am 60 and I am not giving up. Thank you.
Thank you for making this video. I am a 2 stripe white belt, 44 years old who started 5 months ago. I am enjoying the journey and always researching fundamentals online and applying in class. It's been great. I look forward to making friends and lifting friends along the way to also help them attain their goals.
Great insight! 19 years to black for me. Now black for two. Wish someone really encouraged me to learn and “try “ , more than winning my rolls when I was younger.
Great video. I'm your evil twin from Australia - lifelong professional pianist who is learning BJJ as a white belt! Even at this stage I can see that I need to make a plan for own learning or I'll never get anywhere. I'm also trying to go through each major position systematically as you describe and put together a few options. Thanks for your very interesting and valuable insights.
Thank you for commenting! I'm sure being a professional pianist gives you a lot of insights into learning that you can apply to a tonne of stuff, so hopefully you'll pick it up faster than I did!
Love this mate. Quality advice that's all applicable even at black belt. Although I cannot rely on purple belts for a good controlled roll. They're coming to KILL me.
Haha thanks Jon, glad it resonates. I guess I could have phrased that better - what I mean is I'm less likely to catch a stray knee or elbow or have a purple try to crank a submission they're not sure about than a blue. They're not easy rolls!
Dam Joel. This is class. Watched it last night after training and it HIT HOME! Spent the whole evening procrastinating as I am currently that insanely long time spent at blue belt getting smashed every class level now! You made some very good points that i will take with me to try and get that elusive purple! Also, totally agree - i always tell people Purple will feel like wizards to someone with no experience.
This was actually VERY good. How you told a story with each belt. I like at purple belt how you said there was there was a school within a school happening. You definitely were saturated at each color. Will recommend.
Really useful! Started three months ago and thankful for your advice. Also, I've realised how important stretching and cardio are to BJJ. Would love a video on taking care of hands/nails and building wrist strength - Cheers! A black belt is a white belt that never quit.
Thank you! I probably won't do anything this specific unless I start a BJJ-focused side channel, but for wrist/hand strength I'd say: Farmer's walks (amazing exercise) Pullups, dead hangs or inverted rows (ideally fat grips for no-gi, towel grip for gi) Rows
I think the point about purples being able to manage an untrained individual of the same age / size is key. At 50, I am at the older end of the spectrum and fighting father time and whilst its easy to rationalise the age / athleticism gap it can still dent the ego. There are young people on gear (and not on gear) and a white belt in their 20's with a year of training under their belt can be a real challenge - there is not enough of a skill gap between me as a new purple and them as a white with 12 months training and 20 years younger for me not to be at risk of getting tapped. Rick Ellis just did a video on imposter syndrome and belts - there is the Boyd rule that 10 years or 10 kilos is equal to a belt but the thing he said that I think resonated more with me, is that you need a 2 belt gap to really dominate. when i was blue - there was not enough of a skill gap between me and the white belts that started a year or so after and again at purple its the same with blue, and as a new purple, the gap between me and the white on the verge of purple isnt enough without age as a consideration. I will just keep showing up. Did you get your black at inglorious grapplers?
Yeah man, it's rough. There are even blue belts in their twenties (who are a fair bit bigger than me) who give me a rough time. But it's all learning, and I enjoy the skill acquisition just as much as the 'winning'. Yep, got my black belt at IG under Jude Samuel. Fantastic coach, fountain of knowledge, lovely guy - couldn't think of a better person to get it from.
@@JoelSnape1 a friend is training there mid week when they work in London - looks like an amazing setup. I think if you (royal) do not focus on the skill aquisition, its easy to get disheartened. post video I have gone back to pulling DLR and trying the Caio Terra on everyone 🤣
Hey Joel, I randomly clicked on your video because of on my TH-cam recommendations. While watching I saw you rolling at Wave, that was my old club. In fact I have a picture of myself rolling as a white belt 6 or so years ago and you are in the background chilling with Lorenzo lol. I haven’t been training since 3 stripe blue. It’s been 3 years now. I quit due to certain reasons that got in the way. I’m itching to get back to training but I’m not sure how to go about it. If you have any advice to step back on the matts after a long hiatus I’d be glad to hear it. All the best brother.
Hey man, that's very cool. Would I remember you? I had to duck out for a while at brown (long family illness, injury, Covid) and honestly I think you just have to dive back in and swim - though be selective about who you roll with and how nuts you go, which is probably easier at brown than blue. Best of luck with it - shout if I can help more!
I started BJJ at 39 years old. Not the wisest move. I’m sore all the time and injured even more. I’m also losing weight and gaining muscle at a rapid rate. I also take my 15,13,10 year old daughters. I just want them to be a little safer in this crazy world they live in. My 10 year old announced she wants to be a black belt and I’m all for it.
Not specifically, but I've always lifted moderately heavy and done a tonne of prehab-adjacent stuff (like band pullaparts, etc). Only serious injury I've had was a meniscus tear (though that's pretty serious, to be fair)
Great video! As someone who hasnt ever tried bjj, but is thinking of doing so. How is it on your knees? I know this is probably subjective but ive had acl surgery years ago and have always had meniscus problems. Im scared im going to rip my knees to shreds 😂
Well, full disclosure, I've had surgery on one knee (meniscal bucket tear), but I've been doing it a long time and I've done a lot of other stuff that probably played a part. I do think there are risks, but you can mitigate them with the usual stuff that manages knee risk - do some moderate strength stuff, do mobility, don't roll with maniacs, tap early on leglocks
Do you find now days with online tutorials/information people are learning faster compared to years ago where people could only learn by actually going to class
Great question: and yeah, I definitely think they are, I see people coming to class all the time to try out moves they've only ever seen in videos. The only potential downside is that it's easy to get a bit of shiny object syndrome, and focus on eg your buggy choke, instead of the fundamental escapes that are less cool that your coach is teaching you. But that's pretty easy to avoid, if you're paying attention.
I was gonna make a long well thought out comment until I heard the words "sport" and "different guards like de la riva and X guard" Nothing I could say would mean much in this context so carry on.
Couple of years...19 is a long time, well done staying consistent for so long.
Thank you, my friend
Awesome, thank you for sharing. Very interesting information. I just got my Blue Belt in Shotokan. I am very excited about my journey and training for my Black Belt. I am 60 and I am not giving up. Thank you.
Oh, this is fantastic to hear. Stick with it Cheryl, great work!
Thank you for making this video. I am a 2 stripe white belt, 44 years old who started 5 months ago. I am enjoying the journey and always researching fundamentals online and applying in class. It's been great. I look forward to making friends and lifting friends along the way to also help them attain their goals.
That's a fantastic attitude to bring to it, Martin. All the best on the journey, and drop me a comment if there's anything I can help on.
Great insight! 19 years to black for me. Now black for two. Wish someone really encouraged me to learn and “try “ , more than winning my rolls when I was younger.
What do you mean? Trying different moves?
Good work for sticking with it! Not sure what you mean by "try" here though?
Very insightful, thanks for sharing, Joel.
It was nice to hear you mention attack plans for blues as that is what I am working on at the moment.
Yep yep - the blues who really start giving people trouble are the ones who can finish one sub reliably and start finding ways to get there.
Great video. I'm your evil twin from Australia - lifelong professional pianist who is learning BJJ as a white belt!
Even at this stage I can see that I need to make a plan for own learning or I'll never get anywhere. I'm also trying to go through each major position systematically as you describe and put together a few options. Thanks for your very interesting and valuable insights.
Thank you for commenting! I'm sure being a professional pianist gives you a lot of insights into learning that you can apply to a tonne of stuff, so hopefully you'll pick it up faster than I did!
Love this mate. Quality advice that's all applicable even at black belt. Although I cannot rely on purple belts for a good controlled roll. They're coming to KILL me.
Haha thanks Jon, glad it resonates. I guess I could have phrased that better - what I mean is I'm less likely to catch a stray knee or elbow or have a purple try to crank a submission they're not sure about than a blue. They're not easy rolls!
Dam Joel. This is class. Watched it last night after training and it HIT HOME! Spent the whole evening procrastinating as I am currently that insanely long time spent at blue belt getting smashed every class level now! You made some very good points that i will take with me to try and get that elusive purple! Also, totally agree - i always tell people Purple will feel like wizards to someone with no experience.
Ahhh thanks Sean! Glad you're still at it. Honestly, get the purple and it all clicks together (though it's still just a belt)
This was actually VERY good. How you told a story with each belt. I like at purple belt how you said there was there was a school within a school happening. You definitely were saturated at each color. Will recommend.
Much appreciated! And yeah, purple is a lot of fun.
Really useful! Started three months ago and thankful for your advice. Also, I've realised how important stretching and cardio are to BJJ. Would love a video on taking care of hands/nails and building wrist strength - Cheers! A black belt is a white belt that never quit.
Thank you! I probably won't do anything this specific unless I start a BJJ-focused side channel, but for wrist/hand strength I'd say:
Farmer's walks (amazing exercise)
Pullups, dead hangs or inverted rows (ideally fat grips for no-gi, towel grip for gi)
Rows
Great video Coach ! 😊
There he is! Thanks Alomar 🙏
EDIT: I forgot you make a guest appearance!
I found much of this reassuring as a brown belt. Thanks
Glad it's helpful.
Great video 👏🏽
Thanks for watching!
Blue belt was rough for me but i had fun and I learned a lot of lessons and being a purple belt is awesome
Haaaa, glad it resonates!
Blue was tough for me too. That belt I got beat down A TON. I’m 2 years into my purple and I love it lol
I think the point about purples being able to manage an untrained individual of the same age / size is key. At 50, I am at the older end of the spectrum and fighting father time and whilst its easy to rationalise the age / athleticism gap it can still dent the ego. There are young people on gear (and not on gear) and a white belt in their 20's with a year of training under their belt can be a real challenge - there is not enough of a skill gap between me as a new purple and them as a white with 12 months training and 20 years younger for me not to be at risk of getting tapped.
Rick Ellis just did a video on imposter syndrome and belts - there is the Boyd rule that 10 years or 10 kilos is equal to a belt but the thing he said that I think resonated more with me, is that you need a 2 belt gap to really dominate. when i was blue - there was not enough of a skill gap between me and the white belts that started a year or so after and again at purple its the same with blue, and as a new purple, the gap between me and the white on the verge of purple isnt enough without age as a consideration.
I will just keep showing up. Did you get your black at inglorious grapplers?
Yeah man, it's rough. There are even blue belts in their twenties (who are a fair bit bigger than me) who give me a rough time. But it's all learning, and I enjoy the skill acquisition just as much as the 'winning'.
Yep, got my black belt at IG under Jude Samuel. Fantastic coach, fountain of knowledge, lovely guy - couldn't think of a better person to get it from.
@@JoelSnape1 a friend is training there mid week when they work in London - looks like an amazing setup.
I think if you (royal) do not focus on the skill aquisition, its easy to get disheartened.
post video I have gone back to pulling DLR and trying the Caio Terra on everyone 🤣
Hey Joel, I randomly clicked on your video because of on my TH-cam recommendations. While watching I saw you rolling at Wave, that was my old club. In fact I have a picture of myself rolling as a white belt 6 or so years ago and you are in the background chilling with Lorenzo lol.
I haven’t been training since 3 stripe blue. It’s been 3 years now. I quit due to certain reasons that got in the way. I’m itching to get back to training but I’m not sure how to go about it. If you have any advice to step back on the matts after a long hiatus I’d be glad to hear it. All the best brother.
Hey man, that's very cool. Would I remember you? I had to duck out for a while at brown (long family illness, injury, Covid) and honestly I think you just have to dive back in and swim - though be selective about who you roll with and how nuts you go, which is probably easier at brown than blue. Best of luck with it - shout if I can help more!
I started BJJ at 39 years old. Not the wisest move. I’m sore all the time and injured even more. I’m also losing weight and gaining muscle at a rapid rate. I also take my 15,13,10 year old daughters. I just want them to be a little safer in this crazy world they live in. My 10 year old announced she wants to be a black belt and I’m all for it.
Haha, had me in the first sentence, I'm not gonna lie. Hope the journey goes well for you (and your girls)!
Did you have a strategy to avoid injuries during your BJJ journey?
Not specifically, but I've always lifted moderately heavy and done a tonne of prehab-adjacent stuff (like band pullaparts, etc). Only serious injury I've had was a meniscus tear (though that's pretty serious, to be fair)
Great video! As someone who hasnt ever tried bjj, but is thinking of doing so. How is it on your knees? I know this is probably subjective but ive had acl surgery years ago and have always had meniscus problems. Im scared im going to rip my knees to shreds 😂
Well, full disclosure, I've had surgery on one knee (meniscal bucket tear), but I've been doing it a long time and I've done a lot of other stuff that probably played a part. I do think there are risks, but you can mitigate them with the usual stuff that manages knee risk - do some moderate strength stuff, do mobility, don't roll with maniacs, tap early on leglocks
@JoelSnape1 thanks for the reply. That all makes sense! I guess it's a case of confidence as well, like it usually is with injuries and surgery.
We need to check who gave him black belt
Do you find now days with online tutorials/information people are learning faster compared to years ago where people could only learn by actually going to class
Great question: and yeah, I definitely think they are, I see people coming to class all the time to try out moves they've only ever seen in videos.
The only potential downside is that it's easy to get a bit of shiny object syndrome, and focus on eg your buggy choke, instead of the fundamental escapes that are less cool that your coach is teaching you. But that's pretty easy to avoid, if you're paying attention.
I was gonna make a long well thought out comment until I heard the words "sport" and "different guards like de la riva and X guard" Nothing I could say would mean much in this context so carry on.
Ha, well thank you for watching, hope it was informative
I've just realised that I put mount in the list of positions twice 🥲
Because it’s double important 😜